Baku experts warn about high probability of escalation in Karabakh conflict zone

The escalation in the conflict zone takes place against the background of intensified Baku-Moscow contacts, Azerbaijani experts have noted. In recent years, Azerbaijan has multiplied its military power, said Uzeyir Jafarov, the head of the NGO "Military Journalists". Russia may intervene in the conflict as a peacemaker and expand its military presence in Southern Caucasus, Arastun Orudjlu, the head of the "East-West" Research Centre, has suggested.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the conflict area, where the parties are accusing each other of shelling almost every day, reported that on September 1-5, four people were killed and 11 wounded there, including civilians.

In the opinion of Arastun Orudjlu, recurrent exacerbations in the contact line will occur as long as the peace process has no progress.

Avaz Gasanov, the head of the Society of Humanitarian Studies, has noted that the aggravation in the conflict zone is observed against the background of "intensified Baku-Moscow political contacts."

According to his story, in the conditions, when Azerbaijani hopes for the West to help in settling the conflict are not justified, and the United States and the European Union reinforce their criticism of Baku for violating human rights, grounds appear for Azerbaijan's rapprochement with Russia. Gasanov has noted said that the rapprochement with Russia, given the Azerbaijan's military superiority over Armenia, gives more confidence to the former.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.